Calling on the nation to embrace Khadi as it was the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the fabric signified the culture of India and added that it was bound to produce employment in the nation.
Addressing the nation in the 16th edition of his ‘Mann ki Baat’ programme, he said that Khadi had become a symbol of the nation with its own identity. “In relation with Khadi, Sardar Patel has said that India’s freedom lays in Khadi and so does the nation’s cultural identity. In India, the very religion of non-violence lays in Khadi and so does the development of farmers,” the Prime Minister said.

Lauding the people associated with Khadi, he said that the fabric was quickly gaining attention among the youth and was carving a niche for itself in the world of fashion. He added that the Railways Ministry, Police Department, Indian Navy, Uttarakhand Postal Service and other government offices had taken the initiative to promote Khadi. “Due to the efforts of many government organisations in the field of Khadi, around 18 lakh people can be granted employment,” the Prime Minister said.
Talking about bringing in solar energy in Khadi generation, he said that using the sun to power the spinning wheels had been a revolutionary idea. “Geeta and Komal Devi from Rajasthan and Sadhna Devi from Bihar wrote to me on how powering the spinning wheel using solar energy had brought a radical change in their lives,” he added.

The Prime Minister reminded the nation that when they remember Mahatma Gandhi on 30th January, they should include at least one item of Khadi clothing in their wardrobe.